


All I Want for Christmas is...Christmas

by seemeeimbeebee



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Henry/Alice brotp, Multi, mentions of Captain Swan, mentions of robin mills, sort of like a Christmas parent trap thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-21 21:33:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13152465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seemeeimbeebee/pseuds/seemeeimbeebee
Summary: Regina finds herself missing Christmas. Henry and Hook are more than willing to help rectify that.





	All I Want for Christmas is...Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> This was a gift for the onceuponafestivegiving exchange on Tumblr! I guess you could call this is a S7 AU? I don’t know. It’s mostly canon compliant except I did what I wanted with the timelines. Anyway, enjoy!

“So.” Regina started slowly letting out a long breath as she started to trail behind the rest of the group.

“So?” Hook’s eyebrow was quirked in amusement. “You’ve been quiet all day, love. And that’s not normally like you.”

“Your Alice. My Robin. I’ve just had a lot to think about,” Regina replied, rocking back and forth on her heels. She looked around at the snow-covered trees and sighed.

“Good things, I should hope?” Hook asked, eyebrows furrowed. There was a hard, protective edge to his voice, and Hook drew himself up to full height.

“At ease, Captain,” Regina replied with a short laugh. “I was thinking about Christmas dinners and how much food I would need to order in order to fit everyone. I’m starting to think it’d even be too big for Granny’s at this point.”

“Christmas? Granny’s?” Hook asked, turning to her fully. “What the bloody hell is that?”

It was strange. To see his face and hear his voice, but this Hook had none of his knowledge. For a moment, it was like being back at home, but Emma’s soft and affectionate tone wasn’t there to rectify his knowledge. Still, it was nice to have something familiar amidst all this change.

“Granny’s,” Regina began to explain. “It’s an eating establishment.”

“Like a tavern?” Hook questioned, tilting his head toward her. “I’m not quite sure this is the crowd you’d want to get drunk, love.”

“No, no,” Regina laughed, a bit more brightly now. “It’s a more family-friendly tavern. The menu is probably better there than your traditional Enchanted Forest tavern.” Hook’s face cleared in understanding and they continued walking.

“So what is Christmas?” Hook wanted to know after a few minutes of companionable silence.

“Oh!” Regina exclaimed. “Christmas. Well, uh…”

Right. She’d already forgotten that she’d been the one to bring up Christmas. There was no Christmas in the Enchanted Forest. Back in her timeline, she knew of some places that celebrated an equivalent, but she had no idea if that was even celebrated here. She looked over at him to try and explain, and she was happy to find that he wasn’t rushing her. Just standing there, being stupidly endearing and patient.

No wonder Emma had fallen for him.

“It’s a holiday back in my land,” Regina explained. “Where you get all of your family together, whoever you decide your family is, and you give each other presents and you all sit down and have a big dinner together…”

“This seems like a happy holiday,” Hook told her suspiciously. “Why do you seem so sad? When talking about it?”

“Somehow, we didn’t always have time for it. What with all the villains and curses,” Regina sighed ruefully. “And somehow, I thought I’d have a few more before my son was all grown up. And I miss parts of my family…”

“Emma and the other me, right?” Hook’s smile was far too knowing and far too understanding.

“Yes. Among others,” Regina replied, taking a deep breath to hide the wobble in her throat.

“Well, if you had the opportunity to do Christmas with them, how would you do it?” Hook needled. Regina started to shrug off, not really wanting to answer, before Hook added, “Indulge an old pirate, will you, lass? For old times’ sake.”

“There is no old time between us, old timer,” Regina teased.

“Says you,” Hook laughed with a wink.

* * *

“Lad, I need your help,” Hook urgently pulled Henry aside one night after the group had made camp. “How does one make a Christmas?”

Henry couldn’t help the joyful laugh that bubbled from his chest in spite of himself. Sometimes he missed his other mother and his step-father ferociously, and this was one of those times. Killian had done the same thing—down to the desperate, pleading look and all—the first Christmas the family had together. “You don’t make a Christmas,” he finally explained. Hook began to scowl, and Henry added, “Sorry, I’m not laughing at you. I was thinking about…well, the other Hook.”

“Listen, your mother—Regina—told me all about Christmas. I think it’s just what this group needs, only I’ve no idea how to do a Christmas proper. What do you say?” Hook asked hopefully.

“Operation Rudolph!” Henry exclaimed boyishly, his eyes lighting up.

“Operation who-now?” Hook wondered.

“Rudolph. The red nosed reindeer? Was an outcast until Santa realized that people with differences shouldn’t be ostracized but embraced?” Henry questioned, to Hook’s ever-growing confusion. Henry shook his head. “Doesn’t matter! Okay, we need a long table, lots of food, and presents! Oh, and a tree!”

“The food and the table shouldn’t be too much of a problem, given our friendship with Princess Tiana,” Hook murmured, starting to get excited about the prospect of this Christmas dinner.

“But how are we supposed to get that many gifts on this short notice? It’s not like we can make them appear out of thin air.” Henry’s mouth twisted in thought for a few moments before his eyes brightened and his face smoothed out. “I think I have an idea on how we can get presents without anyone knowing,” he started, and pulled Hook a little bit closer so his voice didn’t carry on the wind.

Regina saw Hook and Henry, heads bent low and whispering conspirationally to one another. As she approached, she saw Henry nudge Hook and the two of them straightened out. “What exactly are you two up to?” she asked, trying not to be suspicious.

“Nothing,” Henry said, a little too innocently. Catching a very familiar look on his mother’s face—the one that usually preceded the use of his full name—he added, “Well, actually, it’s not nothing. We were wondering how close we were to Tiana’s castle, and trying to see if we could figure out a way for Alice to stay nearby with Robin so they don’t have to be all alone while we traveled together, and Alice and Hook could kind of be near each other while we figure out what to do about the Dark Curse.”

Regina’s whole face softened and Henry used the opportunity to look bashfully over at Hook to further distract his Mom from the real purpose of their little meeting. “It was going to be a surprise for Alice and we didn’t want anyone to spoil it or for her to overhear by accident. Do you think you could help, Mom?” he asked, his eyes flitting back to Regina.

“I’ll do some research and see what I can do about how close I can get them together,” Regina murmured. She came up to her son and gently cupping his face in her hand before walking off.

Hook exhaled as Regina walked away. “Nice off the cuff story, lad,” he remarked, clapping Henry on the back. “I would’ve never known you to have it in you to lie to your mother, lad.”

Only Henry Mills had no intention of lying to his mother.

* * *

 

“Alice?” Henry whispered. “Alice?” Okay, so it was probably a bad idea to wander off into the forest alone, but he needed to speak to Alice. “Alice of Wonderland?” he singsonged, knowing it was going to be the best way to get her attention. 

“And other places!” a nearby voice hissed. White flakes scattered about her feet as she crossed over to him. “What do you want, Henry?” Alice asked, rubbing her arms up and down. “It’s bleeding cold out here and I don’t have all night.”

Henry quickly procured a blanket out of his satchel and handed it to her. “This is from your Papa. He was hoping to give it to you himself, but he didn’t know when he’d see you next, so he left it at your usual hiding place. I figured I’d just make it easier and bring it to you myself.” He smiled a little bit and watched as Alice’s eyes widened before she wrapped it around herself. “Listen, I need your help.”

“With what?” Alice asked.

“Has my grandpa ever told you about Christmas?” Henry asked.

“Christmas?” Alice wondered curiously. “Is that a type of tea?”

“No, it’s a celebration. With food and family and presents,” Henry explained, watching the way Alice’s eyes lit up with delight. “We’re trying to have a celebration with all of those things at Tiana’s castle, and I was wondering if you could help me get presents from the market.” He watched in confusion as the light died from Alice’s eyes and she scowled, tightening the blanket around her. “What’s wrong?”

“Seems a bit cruel to ask me to get presents when I won’t get any because I can’t be there,” Alice muttered.

Henry nearly smacked his forehead. “I forgot! My mom is working on a way to get you into the castle, but it won’t activate the spell that will hurt Hook. Maybe you and Robin could be at Christmas dinner with us? And open presents? There’s just one catch though. Actually two.”

“Okay,” Alice replied nervously, rocking back and forth on her heels.

“Number one: if you see my mom, you can’t tell her what this is really for. Number two: on the day of the Christmas dinner, you have to stall her for as long as you possibly can.”

Alice inhaled sharply. “And if I do those two things…you mean…I could have a meal…with my Papa? And my Robin?” she whispered. Henry nodded and Alice all but threw her arms around him. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!” The force of the impact caused Henry to lift her off of the ground for just a moment when he returned her hug. “I’ll get you anything you need! Just ask me to do it and I will!”

Henry grinned, letting out a laugh. Her joy was absolutely infectious, what the holiday was all about. “Okay, okay, so I need gifts for…” As Henry started to list off the people that he was going to get gifts for, he felt his heart grow lighter. This was something he had sorely been missing since leaving home: something that he belonged to.

* * *

“Here,” Regina said, slipping a vial into Alice’s hand, a few days later. “We’re starting the dinner and celebration at sundown. If you take the potion before you leave the woods, it should dilute the effects enough for you to sit next to your father at dinner.” She smiled a bit ruefully as she added, “I wish I could’ve given you enough time, but unfortunately the curse is too strong for that.”

“No, it’s wonderful! Papa and I will be so glad to see each other, and we have you and Henry to thank for it! Thank you so much!” Alice exclaimed, hugging Regina tightly. She nestled in a little bit closer when Regina tightened an arm around her while cupping the back of her head.

“But what is the celebration for? Henry was very vague about it when he told me,” she questioned, starting to back out of Regina’s embrace.

“Oh, well,” Regina started. And as she explained how it was just a dinner to celebrate the peace in their land, Alice began peppering her with more and more questions. Not that Regina minded. Hook had said his Alice was a naturally curious girl, and everything Robin had told her about Alice had led Regina to expect that this could happen.

Still, she hadn’t expected the girl to question her for hours. She was grateful that Princess Tiana could cook and had servants to help her. Her son and Ella had offered to decorate the castle, with the help of others from the village. Robin was going to stop by with a turkey…as soon as she had killed it.

“Oh, it’s almost sundown now!” Alice exclaimed, in the middle of Regina’s story about how when Robin was a baby she was terrified of the game peekaboo. “I should take the potion and we should go to the castle, yeah?”

“I suppose so. I wouldn’t mind a little company on the way there,” Regina said, noting Alice’s beaming but sly grin to herself. She merely chalked it up to the excitement at potentially seeing her father again, and not knowing what to do with herself. She smiled as she thought of her father, and how much he would’ve loved to see her recover from her life as the Evil Queen.  
  
In her rumination, a fat white flake fell on her head just outside the castle doors. “Snow!” Alice exclaimed gleefully, running into the open castle. “Now it’s a proper Christmas, just like Henry said!”

“A what?” Regina asked breathlessly, stepping into the hall.

It was decorated with lights and bows. Red candles gleamed at every table and wreaths lined all the doors and windows. And in the back of the hall, was an enormous tree decorated with oddly shaped baubles and ornaments, just like it would back in Storybrooke. At the base of the tree sat a mountain of presents, each carefully wrapped with a nametag on them.

Regina brought a hand to her mouth, trying to stifle the tears. “What…I don’t understand…how did…how did this happen?”

“That would be my do—” Hook started, but then his eyes landed on Alice. His eyes began to water. “Alice?” he croaked out. “Is it…can I really…?” Alice merely responded by running into his arms. Hook picked her up and spun her around, holding her close. When he opened his eyes, he looked at Regina who was staring back at him.

The two moved across the floor to kiss each other sweetly, a silent thank you and an awed whisper of ‘You did this for me?’ all at once.

“They’re not even underneath any mistletoe,” Alice complained to Henry.

“You know,” Henry replied with something of a mischievous grin. “We could fix that.”


End file.
